Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

Largest 2025 Cap Hits: Offense

July 1st, 2025 at 1:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Last offseason brought about a record-breaking jump in the salary cap. This year, the ceiling rose to $279.2MM, another notable spike. The market at a number of positions will benefit from the ongoing surge in spending power available to teams, with quarterbacks obviously the largest standout in that respect.

In 2024, a pair of signal-callers surpassed the $50MM mark in terms of cap charges for the season. That will not be the case this time around, but to little surprise quarterbacks once again lead the way in terms of representing the largest share of many teams’ financial commitments for 2025. Positions such as receiver and offensive tackle have also generally not reached the same peak in terms of cap commitments as last year.

Leading up to training camp, are the NFL’s top 25 cap charges for offensive players:

Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $50.52MM
Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $47.47MM
Joe Burrow, QB (Bengals): $46MM
Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $43.5MM
Kyler Murray, QB (Cardinals): $43.33MM
Kirk Cousins, QB (Falcons): $40MM
Geno Smith, QB (Raiders): $40MM
Tua Tagovailoa, QB (Dolphins): $39.18MM
Justin Herbert, QB (Chargers): $37.35MM
Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $36.34MM
Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $35.97MM
Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $32.6MM
Taylor Moton, RT (Panthers): $31.35MM
Jordan Love, QB (Packers): $29.69MM
Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $28.06MM
Calvin Ridley, WR (Titans): $28MM
Tyreek Hill, WR (Dolphins): $27.7MM
Jawaan Taylor, RT (Chiefs): $27.39MM
Baker Mayfield, QB (Buccaneers): $26.48MM
Terry McLaurin, WR (Commanders): $25.5MM
Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $25.36MM
D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $24.9MM
Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals): $24.06MM
Ja’Marr Chase, WR (Bengals): $23.57MM
Trey Smith, RG (Chiefs): $23.4MM

Prescott’s last-minute 2024 Cowboys extension made him the first player in NFL history to carry an AAV of $60MM. That pact will have lasting impacts well beyond the coming campaign, as the team looks to also fit in the big-ticket extension CeeDee Lamb inked last summer and the one Micah Parsons is in position to sign at some point before Week 1.

Once again, Stafford and the Rams entered the spring with plenty of uncertainty. Retirement was a consideration quickly done away with in the case of the 37-year-old, but it remained to be seen if he would remain in Los Angeles. Trade offers came in from numerous suitors, and the chance existed for Stafford to land a more lucrative deal elsewhere. In the end, though, team and player reached agreement on another reworked pact. Stafford is now in line to receive $84MM over the next two years, including guaranteed money in 2026. A bit of continuity will thus be in place under center for the Rams.

2020 draft classmates Burrow, Tagovailoa and Herbert are understandable top-10 players on this list given their respective deals. All three are on the books for years to come as they look to unseat the Chiefs atop the AFC. Burrow spoke about restructuring his pact to create the cap space necessary for the Bengals to retain or extend each of their key in-house players this offseason. That has yet to take place, and it will be interesting to see if a reworking is explored while talks on the Trey Hendrickson front continue.

The Ravens have worked out a few extensions on offense already (Derrick Henry, Rashod Bateman) but Jackson looms as a candidate for a new deal. Three years remain on his pact, but starting in 2026 his cap charge is scheduled so spike well past its current figure. The two-time MVP has discussed a new arrangement this offseason, and a bump in guarantees and overall compensation similar to what the Bills did with Allen would come as no surprise.

Cousins’ figure stands out, of course, given the fact he is slated to operate as Atlanta’s backup this season. With no release coming and no trade imminent, the four-time Pro Bowler is set to stay in place behind Michael Penix Jr. Cousins has made progress in his rehab from shoulder and ankle injuries suffered prior to his benching midway through his debut Atlanta season. With $10MM already guaranteed for next year, it will be interesting to see if a trade market develops in the coming months in his case.

With the exception of Watson – whose second Achilles tear is set to sideline him for most or all of the coming campaign – the remaining quarterbacks on the list are positioned to serve as starters for their respective teams. Only Geno Smith will be suiting up for a new organization after he was traded from the Seahawks to the Raiders. That swap was followed up by a two-year, $75MM extension and allowed him to reunite with head coach Pete Carroll. A short-term upgrade under center will be key as Vegas looks to find stability on the sidelines and in the front office.

Moton’s cap figure was a talking point earlier this offseason, but the Panthers are content to avoid a fourth restructure in his case. The pending free agent hopes to finish his career in Carolina, but an extension would have helped ensure that while lowering his immediate cap charge. In the absence of such an agreement, it will be interesting to see if Moton, 30, can deliver another strong showing in 2025.

Ridley is perhaps a surprising figure to lead the way in terms of cap charges at the receiver spot. He will operate as a key member of the Titans’ offense, a unit whose success will of course depend in large part on the play of rookie Cam Ward. Ridley has two more years left on his deal beyond 2025, but with limited guarantees owed over that span his Tennessee future could be greatly impacted by who this season plays out.

The likes of Hill, Evans and Moore are not currently the subject of speculation regarding their future. McLaurin, however, was absent from much of the Commanders’ spring practices with little progress being made at the negotiating table. Plenty of work is still required at this point to avoid a potential free agent departure next spring. Coming off a career-high in touchdowns while thriving alongside Jayden Daniels, the two-time Pro Bowler is in line for a raise which will likely lower his cap hit this season.

Chase and Higgins inked their deals simultaneously, putting an end to questions regarding where the latter in particular would play on his second contract. Those two, together with Burrow, will serve as foundational players for years to come in Cincinnati. It will be interesting to see how long Chase (with an AAV of $40.25MM) remains the league’s top earner in that respect for non-quarterbacks.

Kansas City’s offensive line faces questions entering the season. Despite his big-ticket contract, Taylor is not a lock to remain a starter at this point. With no guaranteed left on the final year of his deal (2026), a parting of ways could be in store next spring if a backup gig ensues. Trey Smith, meanwhile, remains attached to the franchise tag although an extension is among the team’s remaining offseason priorities.

Ravens Rookie K Tyler Loop Facing Undrafted Competition

June 29th, 2025 at 7:53pm CST by Ely Allen

On the third day of this year’s draft, the Ravens drafted a kicker for the first time in their 30-year history, taking Arizona’s Tyler Loop with the 186th pick. Despite getting undercut by the Patriots, who took the first kicker of the draft four picks earlier, the Ravens insisted that Loop was always their intended target. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, though, Loop’s path to the 53-man roster will not be unchallenged.

At the conclusion of the Ravens’ Organized Team Activities and mandatory minicamp, Zrebiec listed a number of players whose stock went up or down. Loop was included as a player whose stock was trending down. While, at times, Loop showed his big leg with some long conversions, there were multiple reports of days in which he struggled with both consistency and accuracy from distance.

Per Zrebiec, Loop is making some changes to his technique and kicking motions at the behest of the team’s senior special teams coach, Randy Brown. While that may be contributing to his early issues, it’s concerning to see the drafted kicker struggle. One could also account it to the pressure of replacing the most accurate kicker in NFL history, but playing for a perennial playoff contender, pressure is something Loop is going to have to deal with.

There’s added pressure on Loop from some competition that the Ravens brought in shortly after the draft. One of the team’s undrafted free agents this year was Wyoming kicker John Hoyland. Neither kicker was very accurate during their collegiate years. Loop started strong, going 30 for 33 in his first two years for the Wildcats, but he missed 10 of 47 field goal attempts in his final two years. Hoyland had two excellent, separate years going a combined 35 of 39 in the 2020 and 2022 seasons. The other three years told a very different story as he missed 15 of 53 attempts.

In the offseason, both players have had good days and bad days, but reports seem to indicate that Hoyland has done enough to put himself in a legitimate kicking competition with the player on whom Baltimore used a draft pick. The Ravens are notorious for finding diamonds in the undrafted rough, having fielded undrafted rookies on their Week 1 roster in 20 of the past 21 seasons. Of this year’s undrafted crop, Zrebiec gives Hoyland the best chance of making the roster via his kicking competition with Loop.

91 percent of the made field goals in Ravens history have come off the leg of either Matt Stover (only drafted because drafts were 12 rounds in 1990) and Justin Tucker (undrafted). Despite the team finally using a draft pick on a kicker, there’s a chance they may turn to an undrafted leg yet again.

Patriots Kept K Andy Borregales From Falling To Ravens

June 29th, 2025 at 6:29pm CST by Ely Allen

Make no mistake, the Patriots were in dire need of a kicker, and to address this, they took Miami kicker Andy Borregales with the 182nd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. New England was strategic about where they selected Borregales, though, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Drafting kickers is a notoriously risky proposition. To illustrate, from 2010-16, only 11 kickers were selected through the NFL draft. Of those 11 drafted kickers, only three — Greg Zuerlein, Randy Bullock, and Dustin Hopkins — are still in the NFL today. In the meantime, several undrafted kickers have made impressive careers for themselves. Justin Tucker is the prime example, as he ended his time in Baltimore with him holding the highest field goal conversion percentage in NFL history. Players like Brandon Aubrey, Chris Boswell, Cameron Dicker, and Younghoe Koo have all followed in Tucker’s footsteps as undrafted standouts in recent years.

For this reason, teams tend to wait as long as possible before drafting a kicker. Not doing so has historically bit the teams who spent significant draft capital on the position. Former second-round kicker Roberto Aguayo only lasted one season in Tampa Bay and never kicked in the league after getting waived by the team that drafted him. More recently, Jake Moody was drafted by the 49ers in the third round. After struggling through an injury-riddled sophomore campaign last year, San Francisco brought in a veteran to compete with him this summer.

The Patriots knew they were going to add a kicker at some point in the offseason, but in the sixth round of the draft, one certain factor led them to pull the trigger on Borregales. Per Reiss, the Patriots brass knew that Baltimore was going to be looking to draft a kicker at some point to address Tucker’s troubling legal situation. Four picks in front of the Ravens, they tabbed Borregales. Baltimore ended up with Arizona’s Tyler Loop instead, who has reportedly been struggling so far in offseason activities.

Regardless, Borregales stands to be a key player in New England’s rookie class. Borregales never converted less that 80 percent of his kicks in four years with the Hurricanes, and he ended his time in Coral Gables with his strongest season. In a high-scoring offense led by No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, Borregales did his part converting all 62 extra point attempts and 18 of 19 field goals attempts, including a 56-yarder.

For a team that, for so long, relied on the legs of consistent stars like Adam Vinatieri and Stephen Gostkowski, Borregales represents a hope that the team will return to that norm of consistency. In the years following their decision to move on from Gostkowski, Reiss points out that the Patriots rank 22nd in field goal success rate and 27th in extra point success rate. The Patriots made a move they hope will get them back on the right track, and they did it by taking the first kicker in the draft, just out of reach of the kicker-hungry Ravens.

Ravens Host Several Former Players For Scout School

June 27th, 2025 at 8:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Two things that we’ve witnessed in the last 30 years are the Ravens’ elite draft history between general managers Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta and the propensity for NFL players to return to the sport in coaching and scouting roles when their playing careers are over. Newsome himself was a Hall of Fame tight end before making a case to become a future Hall of Fame executive. Now, DeCosta and the Ravens are actively working to merge those aforementioned two things with the Legends Scout School.

Ravens editorial director Ryan Mink provided details on the recent event about two weeks ago. The event was a two-hour, virtual crash course that the team’s director of legacy engagement, Matt Little, organized in tandem with the player personnel department. Named similarly to the Reese’s Senior Bowl’s Scout School, the Ravens’ version was developed as Little continuously saw more and more former Ravens express interest in getting into scouting.

The group of 21 players included former starting contributors like recently retired defenders Michael Pierce and Jimmy Smith, journeyman players whose time in Baltimore was brief like Antwan Barnes and Terrence West, and draft picks that never quite found their place on the roster like Prince Daniels and Aaron Mellette. The players ranged from Baltimore’s earliest days to its most recent season. Former NFL running back Earnest Byner was in attendance — his last two seasons of a 14-year career were Baltimore’s first two seasons as a franchise — as was Pierce, who retired shortly after catching his first career interception this past season.

The event started with a brief introduction from DeCosta, followed by an overview of the staff from director of player personnel Mark Azevedo, who then went over the role of a player personnel assistant. Then, director of college scouting Andrew Raphael provided a crash course on the college scouting process, followed by a similar breakdown of the pro scouting process by assistant director of pro personnel Corey Frazier. Vice president or football administration Nick Matteo closed the learning period by going over salary cap and contract management.

After all of that, Azevedo returned to go over the league’s Nunn-Wooten scouting fellowship program. The NFL created the program in 2015 to expose interested and qualified candidates to a career in professional scouting. One former player who expressed interest in applying for the fellowship was Marcus Smith. Smith, who had attended Mobile’s three-day event in 2024, claimed to have taken more away from Baltimore’s school in just two hours.

It’s certainly an interesting offseason project for the Ravens. While similar events, like the Senior Bowl’s, have been available before, this is the first known event like this designed by a team for its former players. It’s the latest advancement we’ve seen in the NFL’s efforts to improve the quality of life for players once their playing days are over, and it’s a welcomed sight.

Here’s a full list of players who attended the event with their Baltimore tenures:

OLB Antwan Barnes (2007-2009)
DT Levi Brown (2014)
RB Earnest Byner (1996-1997)
G Chris Chester (2006-2010)
WR Terrance Copper (2008)
RB Prince Daniels (2006-2008)
OL Steve Edwards (2007)
T Jared Gaither (2007-2010)
TE Terry Jones (2002-2005)
FB Jason McKie (2010)
WR Aaron Mellette (2013)
C Quentin Neujahr (1996-1997)
DT Michael Pierce (2016-2019,2022-2024)
C Matt Skura (2016-2020)
CB Jimmy Smith (2011-2021)
WR Marcus Smith (2008-2011)
G Tre Stallings (2008-2009)
WR Travis Taylor (2000-2004)
RB Terrence West (2015-2017)
LB Kenny Young (2018-2019)
C Jeremy Zuttah (2014-2016,2017)

Lamar Jackson Sought Fully Guaranteed Contract From Ravens

June 25th, 2025 at 9:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The bombshell arbitration ruling in the NFLPA’s collusion grievance against the NFL regarding fully guaranteed contracts has revealed additional details regarding Lamar Jackson‘s previous negotiations with the Ravens.

Jackson “asked for a fully guaranteed contract” as far back as the 2022 offseason, according to the ruling, though it did not specify if his demand came before or after Deshaun Watson‘s deal with the Browns. Then-NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith also advised Jackson to stick to that demand.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta testified at the arbitration hearing that he is not opposed to all fully guaranteed contracts, just longer ones with guarantees “pushed out to later years,” due to the risk of injury. As a result, the Ravens extended multiple non-fully guaranteed offers in 2022, but Jackson declined — after having set a pre-Week 1 negotiating deadline — and elected to play on his fifth-year option.

Negotiations resumed the next offseason, but the two sides quickly found themselves at the same impasse. Jackson once again requested a fully guaranteed deal, but missing the end of a second straight season due to injury did not help his case. The Ravens offered “two different three-year contracts that Mr. DeCosta considered to be fully guaranteed,” but Jackson again turned them down and requested a trade. Baltimore then applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to allow Jackson to negotiate a new contract with other teams.

It seemed at the time that Jackson had little chance of leaving Baltimore, and the arbitration ruling arrived at the same conclusion. DeCosta received little trade interest before using the franchise tag, and no teams reached out to Jackson when he was available to negotiate after the tag was applied. The ruling also determined that Jackson “was not actually committed to playing elsewhere” after declining to provide DeCosta with a list of preferred teams after publicly requesting a trade.

The ruling confirmed the previously assumed reasons that other teams did not try to acquire Jackson. DeCosta and Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti testified that the league’s apparent lack of interest in an MVP quarterback was due to the investment his acquisition would require in terms of cash, cap space, and draft picks. The Ravens could also match any offers Jackson received, risking other teams’ relationships with their quarterbacks should they publicly pursue another player and fail. Falcons owner Arthur Blank, whose team publicly announced its disinterest in acquiring Jackson, echoed concerns about cap flexibility and noted Jackson’s injury history as another factor.

Eventually, Jackson agreed to a five-year, $260MM extension shortly before the 2023 NFL Draft, making him the highest-paid quarterback in the league at signing. Interestingly, DeCosta had been preparing for a future without his star quarterback and said that he was surprised when Jackson accepted the offer.

Teams seem to have won the initial battle against fully guaranteed contracts, but Jackson has resumed negotiations with the Ravens ahead of massive scheduled cap hits in 2026 and 2027. After winning his second MVP in 2023 (and nearly a third in 2024), Jackson could renew his push for a fully guaranteed contract, though the team will likely resist such a deal and extend negotiations into 2026.

Ravens CB Jaire Alexander Considered Dolphins, Falcons

June 22nd, 2025 at 9:48pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens recently made a big splash in free agency, signing All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander to a one-year, $4MM contract. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Alexander wasn’t totally sold on the idea of going to Baltimore at first, but his in-person visit sold him on the Ravens.

Fowler notes that Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta was in on Alexander since March, when trade rumors began to circulate about the two-time Pro Bowler. So, when Alexander was finally released, Baltimore jumped at the opportunity to bring him in. Alexander was reportedly a bit noncommittal about any sort of deal, but he told the team he was willing to visit.

Alexander was testing free agency for the first time in his seven-year career. You never want to take the first offer given to you, so it makes sense to build a competitive market. The Bills had been active in trade conversations for Alexander early and were one of the first teams expressing interest, and though early reports showed that the Dolphins and Rams were not showing interest in Alexander, amidst the trade conversations with Jalen Ramsey, Fowler told us yesterday that Miami was another team Alexander was considering. The other team he was considering before signing with the Ravens was the Falcons.

The Dolphins always made a lot of sense as a destination for Alexander, so it was strange when the aforementioned report denied interest. Assuming Ramsey indeed departs from Miami, the team will have a significant hole to file. The team opted to cut starter Kendall Fuller for cap purposes, and up to this point, they have not re-signed him to a more team friendly deal, though he remains a free agent.

Kader Kohou is a good nickelback, but Miami has two gaping holes on the boundaries that are currently being filled by Storm Duck, an undrafted rookie last year who started three games, Cam Smith, a second-round corner who played almost exclusively on special teams in Year 1, spent all but six weeks of Year 2 injured, and has no starts in his career, and perhaps even Jason Marshall, a fifth-round rookie out of Florida.

In Atlanta, the need isn’t quite as big for Alexander. They return a relatively strong corps of AJ Terrell, Mike Hughes, and a strong CB3 in Clark Phillips III on the boundary and Dee Alford in the slot. While the team could probably improve on the nickelback position, that’s never been a spot Alexander has frequented.

Instead, Alexander arrived in Baltimore, and according to Fowler, immediate chemistry with everyone in the organization, including his former teammate at Louisville, Lamar Jackson, sold Alexander on signing with the Ravens.

He helps complete a solid-looking secondary that was perhaps looking a bit weaker after the Ar’Darius Washington injury. Instead of T.J. Tampa and Chidobe Awuzie battling it out for the starting spot across from Nate Wiggins, Alexander can slide in there, leaving Tampa and Awuzie as capable backups. In the meantime, Marlon Humphrey can settle into the slot, where he’s been playing more and more in recent years, while All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton and first-round rookie Malaki Starks patrol behind them.

Checking In On 2025 Fifth-Year Option Performers

June 21st, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2021 draft class has produced some of the NFL’s best players. Patrick Surtain claimed Defensive Player of the Year acclaim, after signing a monster extension that reset the cornerback market, and Ja’Marr Chase posted a triple-crown campaign that ended up pushing the wide receiver market past $40MM per year. Penei Sewell remains the NFL’s highest-paid tackle, and the DeVonta Smith/Jaylen Waddle deals helped shape other WR contracts over the past year.

Several players from that first round also did not pan out, with the quarterback crop being the most notable underachievers. Only Trevor Lawrence received an extension among the five 2021 first-round passers, though Justin Fields did do fairly well as a free agent this offseason. The 2021 first-round class did see 15 options exercised (and three players extended; Rashod Bateman has already been extended twice), marking a bump from the 2020 first-round contingent.

Nine players from that first round, however, exited this year’s offseason programs still tied to their rookie deals. Even though the 2020 CBA helped players on this front by making fifth-year options fully guaranteed, it can still be argued the options do first-rounders a disservice due to teams having five years of player control compared to four on deals ranging from Round 2 to Round 7. But the option system — now in its 15th year — is not going anywhere. And more than a fourth of the NFL’s franchises are moving toward training camp with big decisions to make.

Here is a look at where things stand between those teams and the batch of 2021 first-rounders on fifth-year options:

Kyle Pitts, TE (Falcons); option salary: $10.88MM

Flashes of upper-crust tight end play have emerged for Pitts, but Terry Fontenot leaving Chase on the board — months before the Falcons traded Julio Jones — was obviously a mistake. Pitts joined Mike Ditka (and now Brock Bowers) as the only rookie-year tight ends to clear 1,000 yards; the Florida product has not approached that range since. While Pitts has played 17 games in each of the past two seasons, the MCL injury he sustained in 2022 brought a hurdle that became difficult to negotiate. QB play has hurt Pitts, but the Falcons have not seen him justify the No. 4 overall investment. A contract-year uptick certainly could provide a gateway to a big 2026 free agency payday, however.

No Falcons extension rumors have surfaced this offseason, but Pitts has been the subject of trade talk. The Falcons are believed to have listened on Pitts earlier this offseason. A Day 2 pick was believed to be the desired asking price for the 24-year-old pass catcher. Barring a trade, Pitts will be counted on to help Michael Penix Jr.‘s development, alongside fellow Fontenot top-10 skill-position draftees Drake London and Bijan Robinson. Pitts’ age still points to a big-ticket 2026 deal being a reasonable outcome; he can remove notions of a “prove it” contract being necessary with a quality contract year.

Micah Parsons, DE (Cowboys); option salary: $24MM

In NFC East drama, the Cowboys traded the No. 10 overall pick to the Eagles, as Philly’s plan to outflank the Giants on Smith worked. Dallas won the prize here, landing Parsons at 12. Although Surtain has received the top honor among this draft class and Chase has become the highest-paid player, Parsons is also one of the NFL’s best players. He will be paid like it, and the Cowboys are operating on an eerily similar timeline compared to their slow-playing of other recent extensions.

A three-time All-Pro, Parsons is the best player still attached to a fifth-year option. And the EDGE market has changed significantly this offseason. Parsons, 26, confirmed the Cowboys’ latest delay will prove costly. A strange subplot between Jerry Jones and Parsons’ agent (David Mulugheta) also became known during these drawn-out negotiations. The former No. 12 overall pick has expected to become the NFL’s highest-paid defender, and it seems likely he will eclipse Chase’s $40.25MM-per-year deal as well. The Cowboys, whose slow-paced dealings with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb defined their 2024 offseason, have been in talks with Parsons.

Even after a value gap was revealed, a report of common ground surfaced. A franchise that accustomed to — prior to the Lamb and Prescott deals, that is — long-term contracts also looks to have hit a term-length snag here. Trade rumors came out here months ago, but nothing on that front has surfaced in a while.

After Maxx Crosby eclipsed Nick Bosa‘s defender AAV record, Danielle Hunter cleared $35MM (albeit on a one-year bump) as well. Myles Garrett‘s $40MM-per-year accord now sets the market, and T.J. Watt and Aidan Hutchinson should benefit. Parsons having waited boosts his prospects as well, and being nearly four years younger than Garrett will present a clear case for the Penn State alum’s second contract to come in noticeably higher. When will the Cowboys complete their latest arduous contractual journey?

Rashawn Slater, LT (Chargers); option salary: $19MM

The Bolts did well to add Slater at No. 13. Like Parsons, not much doubt appears to exist about Slater’s prospects for a mega-deal. The Northwestern alum, who joined Parsons and Sewell in opting out of the 2020 COVID-19-marred college season, has started every game he has played with the Chargers. After missing 14 games due to injury in 2022, Slater bounced back and earned his second Pro Bowl nod (in 2024).

Last year brought extensions for Sewell, Christian Darrisaw (chosen 10 spots after Slater) and 2020 first-rounder Tristan Wirfs. Slater’s market will check in at a similar place. Extension talks began early this offseason, as the Jim Harbaugh–Joe Hortiz regime has now observed him for a season. Slater skipped OTAs but expects his second contract to come from the Chargers.

The period between minicamp and Week 1 regularly brings extensions, and this will be the most likely window for the Chargers to come to terms with their O-line anchor. Slater signing a second contract soon would allow it to overlap with at least two Joe Alt rookie-deal years, providing a benefit to an L.A. team with a $53MM-per-year Justin Herbert deal on the books.

Alijah Vera-Tucker, G (Jets); option salary: $15.31MM

After bouncing between guard and tackle, Vera-Tucker has settled at his natural position. The USC product, whom the Jets chose 14th overall in 2021, worked exclusively at right guard last year. Although the Jets faceplanted in Aaron Rodgers‘ only full season leading the charge, Vera-Tucker stayed healthy after suffering season-ending injuries in 2022 and ’23. Vera-Tucker started 15 games last year; Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s ninth-best guard.

The Jets are believed to be eyeing the post-draft period to discuss a second contract with Vera-Tucker, though the team — its struggles notwithstanding — has several extension candidates. Even if Breece Hall may not be one of them, the Jets have 2022 first-rounders Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson extension-eligible now.

Vera-Tucker, who turned 26 this week, could take precedence due to being in a contract year. It is also possible a new Jets regime would want to see more given the guard’s injury struggles. Another quality year would make Vera-Tucker one of the top 2026 free agents, but the Jets hold exclusive negotiating rights until March 2026.

Jaelan Phillips, OLB (Dolphins); option salary: $13.25MM

While Vera-Tucker created some distance from his injury issues last season, Phillips sank deeper into that abyss by suffering an ACL tear after a November 2023 Achilles tear sent him off course. Chosen 18th overall in 2021, Phillips already carried injury baggage based on his UCLA past. He rocketed onto the first-round radar following a transfer to Miami, and the ex-Hurricane showed promise during the early years of his rookie contract. Phillips posted 25 QB hits and seven sacks in 2022 and was on pace to clear that career-high sack mark by a comfy margin in ’23, but the Dolphins soon saw injuries derail their edge rusher plan.

Phillips and Bradley Chubb‘s returns from malady-marred stretches represent a central Dolphins storyline. Their returns, which are nearly complete, will be paramount for a regime suddenly in some hot water. The GM who selected Phillips (Chris Grier) 18th overall remains in place, potentially helping the 26-year-old OLB in the event he can shake the injury trouble. But no extension rumors have emerged. This season will be about Phillips reestablishing his old form. If he does, a 2026 franchise tag or a lucrative deal coming in just south of that rate may await.

Kwity Paye, DE (Colts); option salary: $13.39MM

Paye’s value checks in below the Parsons-Slater tier, but he may also not be in “prove it” territory like Phillips. The former No. 21 overall pick has not battled major injury trouble nor has he delivered A-list production. Settling in as an upper-middle-class edge rusher thus far, the Michigan alum has recorded 16.5 sacks since 2023.

Paye, 26, played a big role in the Colts setting an Indianapolis-era record for sacks in a season (51) in 2023 and has certainly not been a bust for Chris Ballard‘s team. A decision will need to be made soon, though, even as the Colts have bigger issues to sort out. The Colts have done well to extend or re-sign their core players, but Ballard backtracked on an inward-focused approach this offseason by paying Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum. Will those deals affect Paye’s standing?

Indianapolis also has two veteran D-tackle contracts on the books (for DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart), and the team used a first-round pick on D-end Laiatu Latu last year. A Paye payday would complement Latu’s rookie-deal years, and the Colts acting early could create a discount opportunity due to Paye never eclipsing nine sacks or 12 QB hits in a season. Those numbers also could give the team pause about Paye’s long-term viability. Paye was not interested in a 2024 extension, but it would stand to reason he would be prepared to talk terms now. No extension rumors have followed, though.

Travis Etienne, RB (Jaguars); option salary: $6.14MM

An Urban Meyer draftee, Etienne has now been a Lawrence teammate for eight years. The Clemson-developed running back delivered quality work for the 2022 and ’23 Jaguars teams, becoming a high-usage player under Doug Pederson in that span. Meyer had telegraphed a hope the Jags could draft Kadarius Toney in 2021, but Etienne proved the far better pick by posting back-to-back seasons of 1,400-plus yards from scrimmage after missing his rookie year with a foot injury. However, Etienne’s stock mirrored that of the team last year. Tank Bigsby cut into his RB1 role, and career-worst marks followed.

Etienne does not appear an extension candidate in Jacksonville, and trade rumors emerged before the draft. Linked to Ashton Jeanty at No. 5, the Jags pulled off a smokescreen operation centered around Travis Hunter. Even with Jacksonville going with Hunter over Jeanty, the team drafted two running backs (Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen) ahead of Liam Coen‘s first year in charge. Coen did throw cold water on an Etienne trade, but the 26-year-old RB appears set to play out his rookie contract and test free agency in 2026. It will be interesting to see if Coen, who coaxed a promising rookie-year season from Bucky Irving, can move Etienne back on track. But a post-draft report also indicated the new Jags HC is not especially high on the former No. 25 overall pick.

Greg Newsome, CB (Browns); option salary: $13.38MM

As Hunter headed to Jacksonville instead of Cleveland, Newsome saw his status receive an 11th-hour update ahead of the draft. Rather than see Hunter’s two-way role impact him, Newsome enters 2025 in a similar spot. The Browns traded down from No. 2 and took Mason Graham — in a draft that did not see Cleveland draft a cornerback — but Newsome still may not be long for Cleveland.

The Browns dangled the 25-year-old corner in trades before the draft; that followed a pre-deadline trade rumor. In April, it looked like Hunter’s part-time CB role would affect Newsome. But the Browns and Jags had been working on a trade for more than two weeks before the draft. Those trade talks may have been merely a reflection of the organization’s view of Newsome, the 2021 No. 26 overall pick.

Former third-rounder Martin Emerson has operated as Denzel Ward‘s perimeter complementary performer during his career, relegating Newsome to a slot role in sub-packages. Last season, that meant only three starts for Newsome, who described some frustration with his role during the winter. A trade may still be something to monitor ahead of the November deadline, especially if the Browns want to keep stockpiling ammo for a 2026 QB move.

Odafe Oweh, OLB (Ravens); option salary: $13.25MM

Like Paye, Oweh has submitted an extended sample of quality production. Neither had revealed themselves to be difference-making presences going into 2024, but after the Ravens moved on from Jadeveon Clowney, Oweh took a long-awaited step forward. The former No. 31 overall pick broke through for 10 sacks and 23 QB hits. Oweh had never previously surpassed five sacks or 15 hits in a season, with 2024 representing a significant development for a Ravens team that has otherwise relied on veteran stopgaps since Matt Judon‘s 2021 free agency departure.

With David Ojabo not yet panning out, Oweh still has a clear runway in Baltimore. An extension is in play for the ex-Parsons Penn State teammate. Not too much has come out on this front just yet, and the Ravens may also be interested in seeing if Oweh can replicate his 2024 production. Then again, the team has four years of intel on the 26-year-old pass rusher.

Waiting until 2026 to make a play here would run the risk of Oweh’s price rising beyond Baltimore’s comfort zone. No stranger to letting pass-rushing talent walk in free agency and recouping compensatory picks, the Ravens have also not been able to rely on a homegrown pass rusher since Judon. That would stand to make Oweh a reasonable priority in his contract year.

Daniel Faalele, Andrew Vorhees Leading Ravens’ G Competition

June 21st, 2025 at 8:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Four of the Ravens’ stating offensive linemen from 2024 are set to return. One of those is Daniel Faalele, whose first full-time season as a guard came last year.

The 25-year-old Australian struggled as a tackle, but a move inside produced an uptick in PFF grade. Pass protection in particular showed improvement, although after ranking just 45th in overall evaluation amongst qualifying guards Faalele certainly has room to continue developing in the final year of his rookie season. Entering training camp, he is in line to remain Baltimore’s right guard starter.

Head coach John Harbaugh said this week (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) Faalele is in the lead for a first-team guard role. That comes as little surprise, given his 1,100-plus snaps during the regular season at the RG spot. As for the other guard position – vacated when Patrick Mekari departed in free agency – Harbaugh noted Andrew Vorhees is the favorite at this point.

That is also an expected update, since Vorhees entered spring practices as the top candidate to replace Mekari. The former seventh-rounder missed his entire rookie season while rehabbing an ACL tear, but he was healthy in time for the start of the 2024 campaign. Vorhees was Baltimore’s left guard to begin the season, but a Week 3 ankle injury cost him his starting gig. Mekari’s expected departure created a vacancy, one which Vorhees (or a group of challengers including returnee Ben Cleveland) will aim to fill during training camp.

In other offensive line news, Harbaugh provided an injury update on Emery Jones. The third-round rookie has been dealing with a shoulder injury, and Harbaugh noted (via Zrebiec) he is likely to miss the beginning of next month’s training camp. Jones – whom the team intends to use as a tackle before potentially trying him at guard – should be available at some point this summer, though. By the time he is healthy, a clear frontrunner may have emerged for both guard spots with the swing tackle role being the next to be determined.

AFC Staff Updates: Chargers, Texans, Jaguars, Colts, Ravens, Patriots

June 20th, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Ely Allen

The Chargers announced two promotions and two new hires earlier this month in their front office. In the scouting department, Mike Jasinski was promoted to national scout, Jaylen Bannerman-Oden was promoted to area scout, and Kevin Weidl was hired as a national scout. In analytics, Maya Harvey was hired as a football systems developer.

Jasinski has been with the Chargers since 2018, when he joined the team as a combine area scout after recruiting roles at Purdue and Northwestern. In two years, Los Angeles promoted him to an area scouting role, in which he covered the northeast area for two years and the plains area for the past three. The son of Titans pass game coordinator & cornerbacks coach Tony Oden, Bannerman-Oden entered the NFL as a video intern and external scouting game charter for the Browns in 2020. He joined the Chargers the next year as a pro scouting/operations intern and worked two years after that as a scouting assistant before getting promoted to college & pro scout last year.

Weidl reunites with second-year general manager Joe Hortiz, coming from Hortiz’s old team in Baltimore. Weidl ended an eight-year stretch with the Ravens, in which time he served as a southeast/southwest area scout for four years and a southeast/midwest area scout for the other four. Before arriving in Baltimore, Weidl spent 10 years with ESPN Scouts Inc.

Harvey earns her new job after working as a fellow for the Chargers during the final year of her computer science degree program (with a concentration on human computer interaction) at Stanford last year. In addition to her computer science background, Harvey was an athlete for the Cardinal, lettering all four years in beach volleyball.

Here are a few other staff updates from around the AFC:

The Texans were the other team to make multiple additions in the month of June. In the front office, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Mack Marrone has joined the staff as a scouting and administration assistant. The son of Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone, Marrone debuts in the NFL after finishing a collegiate playing career as a linebacker at Colgate. The second addition in Houston was Will Stokes who joins the analytics department as a football data analyst, according to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. Stokes worked last summer as a football data analyst with the Commanders.
Jon Dykema can’t seem to keep away from the NFL. Four months after leaving the Lions to serve as Michigan State’s executive senior associate athletic director and assistant general counsel, Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reports that Dykema is expected to be hired by the Jaguars. His role in Jacksonville is not year known, but his 14 years in Detroit were spent as the team’s director of football compliance.
Per Stratton, the Colts have promoted Greg Liverpool III to midlands area scout. He began in football working recruiting internships throughout his education at Coastal Carolina and served internships for the Colts doing operations during training camps in 2021 and 2022 and for the NFL Scouting Combine in 2022. In 2023, he joined Indianapolis in a full-time role, serving as a scouting assistant until this promotion.
The Ravens have hired Ramon Ruiz away from Rutgers, according to Zenitz. Most recently serving as the Scarlet Knights director of recruiting, Ruiz has reportedly been a key contributor to head coach Greg Schiano‘s turnaround of the Rutgers football program, helping the team to winning records in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 12 years. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic adds that Ruiz’s title with the team will be player personnel assistant.
Lastly, ESPN’s Seth Walder tells us that the Patriots have hired Max Mulitz as personnel analytics coordinator. Mulitz came to the NFL as a full-time intern in the Eagles’ data research department in 2015. Three years later, the Dolphins hired him as a football analyst and promoted him to manager of coaching analytics after just a year. He held the position for four seasons before parting ways with Miami in March. Mulitz joins Ekene Olekanma as the second analytics hire for New England this month.

LB C.J. Mosley Retires

June 19th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Still unsigned deep into the offseason, C.J. Mosley will not continue his career in 2025. The veteran linebacker informed CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz on Thursday that he is retiring.

“Today, it is time to wake up from my childhood dream and share it with the next generation,” Mosley said on Instagram while officially announcing his decision (video link). “I spent my whole life and career building my legacy. Now it’s time to start a new chapter with new dreams.”

Mosley was long seen as a cut candidate for the Jets this offseason, and he was indeed let go in March. The 33-year-old (as of today) became a free agent as a result, but no suitors showed interest up to this point. Mosley intended to keep playing this season, but that will no longer be the case.

A first-round pick of the Ravens in 2014, Mosley immediately took on starting duties and established himself as one of the league’s most productive linebackers. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in four of his five Baltimore campaigns before departing on the open market. Mosley landed a five-year, $85MM pact with the Jets, a deal which did not pay early dividends for the team. The Alabama product was limited to two games in 2019 and he was among the players who sat out the following campaign due to COVID-19 concerns.

Each year from 2021-23, Mosley was able to remain available to his second career team. During that stretch, he continued to record triple-digit tackles (something he managed seven times during his NFL tenure). A herniated disc resulted in considerable missed time this past season, however, and that injury led to new questions about a potential parting of ways. Using a post-June 1 designation, the Jets proceeded with Mosley’s release to get out of the final year of his contract.

New York retained fellow linebacker Jamien Sherwood on a $15MM-per-year deal this spring, and he will be counted on to remain one of the team’s most productive defenders moving forward. With respect to the remaining market at the LB spot, meanwhile, the likes of Eric Kendricks, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Kyzir White are still available to teams looking to make an addition ahead of training camp. Mosley – whose career included five second-team All-Pro nods – will now turn his attention to his post-playing days.

Thanks in large part to his free agent Jets deal (a record-breaking accord for linebackers at the time), Mosley accumulated over $88MM in career earnings. He will depart the NFL with 136 combined regular and postseason games to his name at the pro level following a college tenure which included a pair of national championships.

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